What is beauty?
by StormTheVeela
Summary: It's OWL time, and all Ginny can think about is Luna's hair... One-sided femslash.


**Warning: One-sided femslash. Don't like, don't read.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.**

**What is beauty?**

**Ginny's POV**

I don't know when I fell for Luna, I just did. It made no sense to me either – she was just being herself. I didn't even completely realize that I had fallen for her – as far as I knew, I was straight. As it turned out, I might've been bisexual.

It sort of built up. All through fourth year, and into fifth year – that was when I plucked up the courage and befriended her. Luna wasn't afraid of anyone. She shone with blinding intelligence, yet she lived in her own tiny world. One where Snorkacks lived – I envision them to be her imaginary friends. Sometimes she talked to herself, or danced in a circle, or she answered a question in class, her fogging feeling lifted. Yes, Luna Lovegood sure was a riddle.

Through fifth year we became closer. As it turned out, I became her best friend – along with harry and co. But _she _chose _me_ – and that was when the deal was sealed.

It was just before our History of Magic OWL that I neared her. She sat in front of me, and I couldn't help but admire the way her hair elegantly fell to her shoulders, the way she sat – almost lazily, pencil slouching in her grip.

"Luna?" I whispered. She turned around, surprised anyone would break the golden rule of no talking during preparation for the OWL.

"Yes, Ginny?"

"I love you."

Her eyes softened a bit.

"I love you too, Ginny."

She didn't get it. For a smart person, she was being incredibly dim.

"No, I mean I _love _you."

It registered on her pretty face. It went from confused, to shocked, to horrified.

"Boys and girls, pack away your things, the exam's about to start."

. . .

I couldn't concentrate on the exam. I'd possibly fail. Not that I actually cared for History of Magic… I focused my eyes on her pale hand, flitting across the parchment with ease. It's something I've watched her do countless times. She just shut her off from the outside world and focused on the task at hand. At this point it was the test.

Too soon it was over. I had tried to fill in the blanks, but the paper seemed horridly empty to me.

Usually we waited for one another after OWLs, but Luna just gathered her things and bolted. I followed suit. She went to the forest – of course she did.

I found her throwing a piece of raw meat in the air, and it was gobbled up within seconds. The sight of meat just being devoured in thin air freaked me out entirely.

"There're thestrals." She explained.

"I don't know them." I said lightly.

"I do. They can only be seen by people who have seen someone die."

"Can Harry see them?" I asked, thinking of Cedric.

"Yes."

"Why can you see them?"

"My mum." Her tone was still as light as a feather, but I sensed a change in the atmosphere.

"What happened?"

"A spell of hers had gone horribly wrong."

"I'm sorry." I said earnestly. She laughed a little.

"It's not your fault." She scoffed. I didn't even know Luna could scoff. "Plus, she's not really gone. She's right here." She pointed to her heart.

"That's beautiful, Luna."

"I can't give you what you want."

There. Out in the open. She didn't wait until I brought it up, she just said it.

"I know." I replied. "I just felt that I should be truthful."

"I'm not going to treat you differently either." She noted. "You're still my best friend." And I was certain it wasn't because I was just one of her only friends. "I'm hoping it's a phase."

That had been a very un-Luna-ish thing to say, but when I looked up at her, she was still staring at that which I couldn't see.

"Are they beautiful?"

"Depends on what you see as that." She answered, finally looking at me. "To me, they are."

Now, Luna might be the oddball, but she knew beauty. She saw beauty in others that they themselves missed. I remember Lupin once describing Harry's mother as such. But Luna saw beauty in everyone. Even the Slytherins. She saw the beauty in everything. When others saw a flea, she saw a tiny dragon. Beauty to her had a whole other meaning.

"What do they look like?"

"You don't want to know." She said. "Trust me."

"But you said…"

"I know what I said." She cut across me. "But to see someone die is much worse."

She picked up her discarded bag and we walked back to the castle. We didn't speak – but both of us were in deep thought. Luna about everything and anything. Me? I thought about Luna.

And how, when I came to think of it, I couldn't see her as a lover.


End file.
